Your shoulders creep up towards your ears during a busy morning, and by lunchtime they feel tight and heavy. When your shoulders ache, sitting tall can feel like more effort than it’s worth. Understanding what’s going on can help you work with your shoulders rather than against them.

Rounded shoulders are more normal than you think

Many people believe rounded shoulders are a problem to fix. In fact, shoulder blade position varies a lot between people, and research hasn’t found a strong link between how rounded your shoulders look and whether they hurt. Plenty of people with rounded shoulders have no pain at all.

What seems to matter more is how long your shoulders stay in one position, and how hard they’re working while they’re there.

Pulling your shoulders back isn’t the answer

When people try to sit tall, they often pull their shoulders firmly back and hold them there. This takes a lot of effort, tires the muscles quickly and can leave your shoulders feeling tighter. A more comfortable target is “tall but soft”: shoulders relaxed and sitting low, away from your ears, with easy breathing.

Your arms are heavier than you think

Each arm weighs around 5% of your body weight. If you type or use a mouse with your arms hovering, your shoulder muscles hold that weight up for hours. Studies have found that resting your forearms on the desk or armrests while you work is linked with less neck and shoulder discomfort.

How you breathe affects your shoulders

When you’re busy or stressed, breathing often becomes quick and high in your chest. This uses small muscles around your neck and the tops of your shoulders, adding to the work they’re already doing. Slower breaths that let your ribs and belly move can give those muscles a break.

Moving through the day

Changing position often helps your shoulders as much as your back. Your goal videos include a quick reset and gentle shoulder and upper back movements, and the 30-second VIDA videos are handy whenever you notice tension building.

Something to try this week

Each time you start typing, check whether your forearms are resting on the desk or armrests. If they’re hovering, let them settle.

What to take away

• Keep your shoulders relaxed rather than pulled back.
• Rest your forearms while you type.
• Notice when your breathing is high in your chest.
• Change position often through the day.
• If you can’t lift your arm, or your shoulder pain keeps getting worse over a few weeks, it’s worth speaking to your GP. Your VIDA pain check-in can help you notice how things change.

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